Hydroelectric power is one of the most widely used renewable and clean sources of energy globally. It involves converting the kinetic energy of flowing water into electrical energy using hydro turbines and generators. At the heart of any hydroelectric power plant lies the hydro turbine generator unit which efficiently harness the energy of moving water and convert it into usable electricity. Let's take a deeper look at how these units work and their significance.
Types of Hydro Turbines
There are mainly three types of hydro turbines used in hydroelectric power plants based on water flow design - impulse turbines, reaction turbines, and mixed-flow turbines.
- Impulse turbines: These turbines utilize the velocity or kinetic energy of a jet of water directed at the turbine runner with a pressure drop. Common types include Pelton wheel and cross-flow turbines. They are suitable for plants with high head and low flow.
- Reaction turbines: Here, the water pressure and velocity act simultaneously on the turbine runner disposed in the water flow. Common types are Francis and Kaplan turbines. They are ideal for plants with moderate to low head and high flow conditions.
- Mixed-flow turbines: As the name suggests, these turbines work on a combination of impulse and reaction principles, where the water acts both by action of gravity and impulse of jets. They are suitable for conditions between reaction and impulse types.
Components of a Hydro Turbine Generator Unit
All hydro turbine units share similar components to efficiently harness hydraulic energy and generate electricity. Let's take a look at the key parts:
- Turbine: Made of high-strength bronze or steel alloy, it includes a stationary housing and rotating runner blades that convert hydraulic energy into mechanical shaft rotation.
- Shaft: Connects the turbine to the generator for power transfer. It must withstand heavy loads and vibrations.
- Bearings: Support the shaft and allow smooth rotation with minimal friction loss. Common types are sleeve bearings for low loads and ball/roller bearings for high loads.
- Generator: Consists of a stationary stator and a spinning rotor. The rotor spin, induced by the turbine, generates electromagnetic energy in the stator windings as alternating current electricity.
- Guide Vanes: Also called wicket gates, these adjustable blades control water flow onto turbine runner to regulate power output.
- Draft Tube: Pipe carrying water discharged from turbine outlet, recovering kinetic energy to increase unit efficiency.
Working of a Hydro Turbine Generator Unit
The working of a hydro turbine generator unit can be summarized as follows:
- Water from the reservoir is channelled via penstocks or tunnels to the turbine inlet located many metres below.
- Guide vanes direct the water flow onto the turbine runner blades to harness hydraulic energy.
- The spinning turbine shaft rotates the attached generator rotor inside the stator coil assembly.
- The stator coils cut the magnetic rotor flux field, inducing alternating current in the coils as per Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction.
- The generator efficiently converts the mechanical energy into useful three-phase electrical energy output at generator terminals.
- After passing through the turbine, water is discharged via the draft tube, regulating downstream flow.
- Generated power is stepped up using transformers and fed into the transmission grid for distribution.
Advantages of Hydroelectric Power
Hydroelectric power holds several advantages over conventional power sources which include:
- Renewable source - Hydropower utilizes the perpetual water flow in rivers sustainably.
- Lower emission - Hydro plants do not directly emit greenhouse gases unlike fossil fuel plants.
- Reliable base load power - Hydropower can generate electricity continuously as long as there is water flow.
- Flexible operation - Turbines can ramp generation up or down quickly as needed using wicket gates.
- Low operating cost - Hydro units have high efficiency and long lifespans of 50-100 years on average.
- Multi-purpose usage - Dams provide additional benefits like irrigation, flood control, water supply etc.
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The small and humble town of Onslow has achieved a massive feat by going off the grid with Solar for home.
All the houses have a combination of large and small-scale residential solar panels and solar batteries.
Though less than 1000 people are living there, it is still a significant milestone.Onslow has shown that it is possible to adapt to the needs of the environment.
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